The Pattaya Links Golf Society
Monday, Dec. 25, Treasure Hill – Stableford
A Flight
1st Simon Kendall (13) 37pts
2nd Tommy Marshall (8) 31pts
3rd Colin Smith (13) 30pts
B Flight
1st Martin Patch (16) 33pts
2nd Niall Caven (18) 30pts
3rd Ian Pickles (14) 27pts
C Flight
1st John Anderson (29) 33pts
2nd Helene Lindberg (23) 29pts
3rd Rod Stevens (24) 28 pts
Perhaps playing golf on Christmas Day is a novelty for most and we had 36 happy golfers make their way to Treasure Hill. The starter sent the first of our 9 groups away 10 minutes early and we had a smooth, albeit a little slow, run with no other golf societies in sight. With this many players, we had enough to do three flights.
The winner of A flight (0-13) and overall best score came from Simon Kendall, the only one to better his handicap. On a course that takes no prisoners, his 37 points was 4 points better than any other player.
Tommy Marshall scraped together 31 points for second, just holding off the consistent Colin Smith on 30.
Martin Patch scored 33 points to win B flight (14-21), three ahead of Niall Caven in second while Ian Pickles was a further three back in third.
Ready to give up golf after some mediocre scores recently, John Anderson threw off the shackles for a winning 33 points in C flight (22 +). Second place was taken by our only lady golfer in the field, Helene Lindberg, who finished just in front of Rod Stevens in third.
Near pins went to John Doyle, Paul Smith, Barry Wellings and Martin Patch.
Best front nine for non-winners came from Bob Watson (17pts) and the back nine by Dane O’Brien, also 17 with points.
Wednesday, Dec. 27, Pleasant Valley – Stableford
1st Bob Rice (8) 42pts
2nd Jim Reilly (16) 35pts
3rd Pierre Cere (12) 35pts
Fairways today were damp at Pleasant Valley so carts had to stick to the paths. We played ‘lift, clean and place’. Greens were in good condition, but obviously, being damp, were a little slower.
Bob Rice left his clubs at home in the USA and hired a set from Links Bar. Having been away from Pattaya for some months, and with a handicap of just 8, Bob tore up the course with an excellent score of 42 points, to leave the rest in his wake.
Playing from the blue tees, and with little run on the fairways the scores returned were on the lower end of the scale. However, two good scores followed Bob. Jim Reilly and Pierre Cere fought out a count-back on 35 points, with Jim edging in front for second spot.
The best nines for non-winners came from Rod Stevens (front, 19pts) and Gerry Conway (back, 17pts).
Friday, Dec. 29,
King Naga – Stableford
A Flight
1st Wayne Peppernell (14) 32pts
2nd Steve Truelove (10) 32pts
3rd John Doyle (10) 32pts
B Flight
1st Helene Lindberg (23) 35pts
2nd Rod Stevens (24) 30pts
3rd Mikael Lindberg(23) 29pts
The society closed down 2017 with a visit to the newly renamed King Naga course and found all the features of the former Rayong CC/Great Lakes still intact – the fully grassed fairways, the barren rough, the slowish greens and the spartan clubhouse.
There were two flights cut at sixteen and under and in the top flight five golfers ended the round with 32 points each. Invoking the count-back rule saw John Doyle in third place with Steve Truelove being runner up to Wayne Peppernell, who ended his maiden player of the month adventure with this success.
In the second flight scores were similar with Mikael Lindberg taking third place with 29 points, only one behind runner-up Rod Stevens on 30. The best score of the day was recorded by Swedish lady Helene Lindberg and her 35 points gave her not only bragging rights over husband Mikael but also a fine victory to end the year.
Consolation prizes went to Gerd Reidler (best front nine, 18) and Tony Browne (best back nine, 17) and the opportunities to take birdie honours with a “twos” challenge were spurned by all the golfers.
